That Night
by poetwriter
Summary: A one chapter story. Two masks unveiled. Will take a few minutes to read, so do read and review please. I'd appreciate it very much. Thank you.


Disclaimer & author's note: She's not mine. I suggest you read the first book chapter seven (the sorting hat) before reading any further. Unless you can confidently say that you know the book by heart. A one-chapter story only. Please, if you are a kind soul, review.  
  
  
  
That Night  
  
  
  
She tossed and turned in her soft bed, unable to sleep. Too many thoughts, just too many thoughts mixed with all her emotions and feelings in a big mass floating in her mind, all crammed in to her brain, each one pushing its way to the front of the line, struggling desperately to get out. But she, being the only submissive and quiet girl in Ravenclaw, kept the thoughts to herself.  
  
She was acting smart, yet stupid in a way. Smart because she knew no one would listen to her and would think she was mad if she took them into her confident and tell them what she felt, who she really was. Stupid because she was not listening to her physiatrist, who had given her the advice to tell someone who she really was and to stop acting but be her real self.  
  
Like anyone would listen, she thought. Everyone is just too busy too listen. Padma is too busy doing who knows what. She was nice to me at first but after finding out how boring I was just couldn't bother with me anymore. If only I had a friend, someone to tell all my secrets and plan all sorts of adventures with. With someone I can be my real self, who respects me, treats me equally.  
  
Harry Potter sometimes gets all the luck, she thought bitterly. When you minus the fact that You-Know-Who is still trying to kill him, his archenemy Draco Malfoy is the cutest boy in the whole school and Snape biting at you every minute of the day. What you have left is fame, popularity, two great people as your friends, the top student and a loyal friend. That is obviously not going to happen to me. She sighed inwardly. I'm a good for nothing person who doesn't amount to anything in the entire world.  
  
She threw the covers off her, slipped into her slippers and walked across the rich blue-carpeted floor towards the door quietly. The door opened and closed without a sound. She crept down the stairs, her hand gliding across the delicately carved ivory banister. How many times had she imagined herself a princess, walking down the stairs to greet her subjects waiting at the bottom. She opened her eyes, ending her daydream. That's never going to happen to me, she thought once more for the umpteenth time that day.  
  
She now skipped down the stairs lightly, her feet making a pattering soft noise on the carpet. But yes, she thought, I'm very happy in Ravenclaw. She looked around before jumping the last few steps, landing cat-like on the ground floor.  
  
The Ravenclaw common room was lavishly decorated with blue, bronze and black. Right above the fireplace was the picture of Rowena Ravenclaw, the founder. From the ceiling hung banners with ravens pictured on it. On the walls hung pictures of all the students, past and present. Little trinkets in blue and bronze were placed all around the room, kindly donated by all the students. The tables were bronze and the couches were blue.  
  
Suddenly, she stopped short. There, on one of the rich blue couches, sat someone. He, she could tell it was a he from the silhouette, hadn't noticed her. She walked over cautiously. The boy stirred.  
  
"Stop." She could sense a hint of panic in his baritone voice. Yet she obeyed. After all, that's what she had been doing all her life, following orders. She wondered if she even had a brain. She forgot all her thoughts when the boy stood up, back to her, still in the shadows. He walked over to the fireplace and stood right in front of it. The light flickered on his silvery blonde hair. He turned to face her. She gasped, eyes widening.  
  
Draco Malfoy. The last person she'd expect to be in the Ravenclaw common room.  
  
"Wha. how??" she stared at him flabbergasted.  
  
"I've got my ways," he answered simply. " I believe we haven't been properly introduced. I am Draco Malfoy. And you are?"  
  
"Turpin. Lisa Turpin. What exactly are you doing here?" she blurted out.  
  
"I come here to relax, let go of my thoughts." Her jaw dropped. "What?" Malfoy asked innocently.  
  
"Wow, someone call the daily prophet. The nemesis of the famous Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy actually relaxes and he thinks," Lisa said in a sarcastic amazed voice. Malfoy's eyes darkened.  
  
"He's not that wonderful."  
  
"No one said he was," retorted Turpin.  
  
"But you think so," he answered back. He got her. She sunk into another couch.  
  
"You're right," she sighed. "I think about it every day, every minute, every miniscule fraction of a second. I want to be known, to be famous, popular, have friends, someone who trusts me, someone for me to trust. You don't know what I have to go though everyday, suffering the burdens of others, keeping myself locked up and hidden under this stupid mask."  
  
"Oh, but I do," he barely whispered it.  
  
"You do what?" she asked in anguish.  
  
"I understand. That's what I had to go through. But then I overcame it." Lisa stared at him. The thought that Draco Malfoy had gone through what she was going through was unbelievable. And that he was actually telling her this was never imaginable. He broke the silence.  
  
"You're not the only one who's wearing a mask Lisa. Yes, if you must know, I'm wearing one also. Yet I don't know who I am underneath. You at least know what you really are underneath. I unfortunately cannot share that joy." He looked up at her. She continued to stare at him not aware that she was. He gave her a small smile. She blinked then realised she was staring and she looked away, flushing furiously.  
  
"You don't have a friend?" he asked gently breaking the silence once more. She was surprised to hear a gentle voice coming from a person who had the reputation of being cold and mean.  
  
"No." she answered in a small voice. "No one pays any attention to me. I just sit in the background watching and yearning to be like those in front."  
  
"Ah," he said in a wise voice. "Just like Weasley's sister. I suggest you open up to someone. Could I perhaps suggest myself?" she looked at him, horrified. "Of course you don't need to. I don't blame you. Who can trust Bad Boy Malfoy?"  
  
"I-I already have," she said still in a small voice. He smirked at her.  
  
"Ah, I'm quite charming aren't I? Forgive my ego. That's me. Yet it isn't. Anyway, I unfortunately have to go soon. Anything else you'd like to add?" he queried. She shook her head. He stood up and walked to the entrance. "Oh, one more thing. Mind not telling anyone what we've said? I'll do the same." With that he left.  
  
She sat there, on the couch, wondering what had actually happened. She had opened up more than she had ever done before. And that person just happened to be Draco Malfoy. Yet some how she felt much better. He also seemed nice.  
  
Well what do you know, she thought before dozing off on the couch, bad boy has a heart after all. 


End file.
